Do you feed your birds sprouts?

[Cage Cleaner]

sprouted seeds are very healthy, as they actually increase blood pH, and therefore lowers blood acidity.

Um... they are healthy until consumed and they are healthful, but I'm reasonably sure foods don't directly affect the acid/base balance of the blood nor would it be a good thing if they did. Respiration and excretion control the pH of blood to a narrow normal range, at least in mammals. Eating junk does not give you acidic blood... tanking your kidneys might.

Please check your sources on this.

[Cage Cleaner]

I see what you're saying. You're right that no, normal blood range doesn't go into acidic, or below 7 pH. And no, eating foods doesn't directly affect blood pH.

However, there are biochemical pathways that certain types of food affect, that do form acids/bases. And being on the acidic side of normal blood ph (which still isn't formally acidic, just closer to the acidic side) makes the body vulnerable to a wider array of aging and diseases.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I did check my sources... can you provide a peer-reviewed scientific reference that supports the hypothesis that foods affect blood pH and that blood pH is causal in any disease process not directly related to the abnormal pH itself (i.e. acidosis, alkylosis)?

I don't know what your educational background is. My background is in the physical sciences -- I'm not a biologist, but I'm a hard sell on hypotheses not solidly based in the mainstream scientific process. I'm a curmudgeon that way.

[Cage Cleaner]

I did check my sources... can you provide a peer-reviewed scientific reference that supports the hypothesis that foods affect blood pH and that blood pH is causal in any disease process not directly related to the abnormal pH itself (i.e. acidosis, alkylosis)?

I don't know what your educational background is. My background is in the physical sciences -- I'm not a biologist, but I'm a hard sell on hypotheses not solidly based in the mainstream scientific process. I'm a curmudgeon that way.

Probably; I'll have to look, though.

[Cage Cleaner]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19420732

To start, here is an article detailing a study of alkalizing blood pH on cancer patients.

There are also articles discussing the effect of acid-forming foods on bone density, causing diseases such as osteoporosis. I'll dig them up when I have more time, later.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

That looks like an interesting paper, but from the abstract what it says is that they got some positive response in advanced stage cancer patients by inducing a fever condition which also drove them into mild alkylosis. That does not suggest to me that attempting to change the blood pH of a healthy individual has any bearing on whether or not they develop cancer. Low acid diets for osteoporosis are still pretty controversial and the main argument seems to involve consuming more alkaline foods in order to have alakline compounds available to neutralize acids produced by eating proteins and therefore preventing the calcium from being used up in the process of maintaining normal blood pH. The blood doesn't actually change pH appreciably.

At any rate, the point is that sprouts are palatable and nutritious and they are good to feed.

[Cage Cleaner]

Just curious, but how much of change in blood pH are you saying would be enough for you consider to be "appreciable"?

[entrancedbymyGCC]

For a human, out of the range that is considered normal (7.35-7.45) by a statistically significant amount. You'd probably know better than I what the measurement uncertainty is. I don't know what would be considered normal for birds or how well regulated it is compared to humans. But that's another point -- one should be cautious when assuming what's true for mammals is true for birds.

I see from your profile that you are a med student and also into alternative medicine and that you sell nutriceuticals. I'm a hard sell on the alternative stuff, for the most part I treat supplements as "might help" if I'm sure they are safe, but I definitely respect education! I should be careful crossing swords with you... but I remain unconvinced that there is solid evidence to support the hypothesis you have proposed.

[Bobioden]

I got an EasySprouter, and a pound of seeds from my local bird store. It was SO easy to sprout, and now I have a nice size container in my fridge. My question is, how long can you store them? My first batch was using 1/2 cup of seed, I think I will only do half that next time. Maxx loves them.

Here is the seed I used:
Ingredients: Organic Amaranth, Organic Millet, Organic Spelt, Organic Hulled Oats, Organic Hulled Barley, Organic Chia, Organic Mung, Organic Red Lentils, Organic Marrowfat Peas, Organic Arugula, Organic Broccoli, Organic Fenugreek, Organic Sprouting Pumpkin Seed, Organic Hulled Sesame, Organic Hazelnuts

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Some people say two days. I find it varies from batch to batch and I sometimes use them for four days or so. Just be careful that they still smell fresh and taste fresh.